As used herein, the term “media content” encompasses audio and/or visual data such as images, videos and or audio files. For the purposes of this document, media content encompasses separate files of data that are to be transferred between UEs outside of a voice call or video call scenario. Media content may be considered to be distinct from audio and visual data transferred between UEs, for example, as part of a voice call or a video call. In particular, media content, as referred to herein, encompasses image, video and/or audio data files transferred between UEs during a chat session.
As used herein, the term “text based Rich Communications Services (RCS) communication” encompasses any form of text based messaging within the RCS standard. For example, a text based RCS communication may be a chat session. The term “chat session” encompasses any communications session between two or more UEs and in which text data (or messages) are exchange in a conversation thread. Chat session may, for example, refer to a chat session within the RCS standard. A text based RCS communication may be a short messaging service (or “text”) message, which may be exchanged between UEs using the RCS standard outside of a chat session.
A chat session is distinct from a call, in which audio and/or video data may be exchanged between UEs in real time.
Messaging and social communication services typically allow for sending messages, images and videos between first and second UEs. Users enjoy the opportunity to share media content such as images, videos etc. with friends and family. However, in current IMSs, media content that is shared between UEs may be stored on the receiving UE and may be further shared, re-sent or published without the original content owner's knowledge.
This is a well-known problem for many users today and now new services are being developed to alleviate security issues surrounding shared media content. Applications exist that allow for sending media content from a first UE to a second UE such that the media content is automatically deleted after it has been viewed at the second UE. Some users are more comfortable using such applications providing viewing and storing restrictions.
Currently, there is no support for restricting the usage of received of images and video clips in the RCS standard (e.g., RCS 5.1). In RCS 5.1, the supported method of transferring media content between UEs is file transfer point-to-point via message session relay protocol (MSRP) or hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), or to multiple users via HTTP. However, the receiving user becomes the owner of the media content when received at the UE and may access the media content whenever they desire.
Error! Reference source not found. shows a schematic and somewhat simplified illustration of a file transfer using the HTTP method in RCS 5.1.                1. A first UE 100 (UE-A) transmits an SIP INVITE message to a message AS 102 (M-AS) requesting a chat with a second UE 106 (UE-B). The message AS 102 transmits the SIP INVITE message to the second UE 106        2. The second UE 106 transmits an SIP 200 OK message to the message AS 102 to accept the invitation to chat. The message AS 102 transmits the SIP 200 OK message to the first UE 100        3. Chat messages are exchanged between the first and second UEs 100, 106 via the message AS 102 using the MSRP. The messages are stored in the message AS 102        4. The user of the first UE 100 selects a media file to share with the user of the second UE 106        5. An HTTP(S) POST message relating to the media file to be shared is sent from the first UE 100 to a content AS 104        6. The file is stored at the content AS 104 and a URL for the media file is returned        7. An HTTP 200 OK message comprising the returned URL is transmitted from the content AS 104 to the first UE 100        8. The first UE 100 transmits the link (or a thumbnail identifying the link) to the message AS 102, which transmits the link to the second UE 106        9. The user of the second UE 106 clicks on the URL or thumbnail        10. An HTTP(S) GET(URL) message is sent from the second UE 106 to the content AS 104 to request the media file        11. The content AS 104 obtains the media file indicated by the URL        12. The content AS 104 sends an HTTP(S) 200 OK message to the second UE 106 containing the media file        13. The media file is stored at the second UE 106        